Grammy-winning rapper Lil Nas X was hospitalized and later arrested after a pre-dawn incident in Studio City on Thursday. The 26-year-old artist – known for hits like “Old Town Road” – was spotted walking unclothed down Ventura Boulevard, prompting a 5:50 a.m. police call about a “nude man in the street,” according to the LAPD.
“When officers arrived, the man charged toward them,” an LAPD spokesperson said. The suspect was subdued, taken into custody, and transported to a local hospital to be evaluated for a possible overdose. While police did not initially release the man’s name, local media sources confirmed it was Lil Nas X.
Witness video obtained by TMZ appears to show the rapper – real name Montero Lamar Hill – strutting down Ventura Boulevard wearing only white underwear and cowboy boots before the confrontation. In the footage, Lil Nas X can be heard talking about a party and telling an onlooker to put away his phone. At one point, he even playfully donned a traffic cone as a hat, according to TMZ’s report.
LAFD paramedics treated Lil Nas X at the scene before transporting him to the hospital. His condition has not been disclosed, but authorities say he was examined for overdose symptoms. After treatment, the “Industry Baby” singer was booked at the LAPD’s Valley Jail on suspicion of misdemeanor battery of a police officer.
No official statement has yet been made by Lil Nas X’s representatives regarding the incident. The genre-blending artist rose to fame in 2019 and has won two Grammy Awards. Police say the investigation into Thursday’s events is ongoing.
